1. Will putting medicine in the eye invalidate the fast or not? CLICK TO READ ANSWER
2. If a person puts water in his ear while fasting, will the fast be invalidated? A Mufti wrote in his fatwa that fasting will not be invalidated. Some scholars say that fasting will be invalidated. People who say that putting water in the ear does not break the fast and putting medicine in the eye breaks the fast say that ‘this is modern research. We have made this decision in light of the research of medical experts.’ Therefore, whatever is the correct ruling in this regard, state it in the light of proofs and may Allah be pleased with you.

(2) There are different opinions and views of the jurists regarding the intentional insertion of water in the ear. According to some, intentionally pouring water into the ear breaks the fast, to some it doesn’t.

It is stated in Fatawa Qadi Khan:

لوخاض الماء فدخل الماء اذنہ لایفسد صومہ وان صب الما فی اذنہ اختلفوا فیہ والصحیح ھو الفساد لانہ وصل الی الجوف بفعلہ فلا یعتبر فیہ صلاح البدن۔

If one dives into the water and the water enters the ears, the fast will not be invalidated, and if one puts water in the ear itself, there is a difference of opinion about this. The correct position is that the fast will be invalidated because in this case, the water has reached the stomach through its action, so it will not be considered upon the improvement of the body.

[فتاوی قاضی خاں: 1/244]

In the notes of Tibiyyin al-Haqaiq, Allamah Thalabi states:

ویظہران الاصح فی الما التفصیل الذی اختارہ القاضی رحمہ اللّٰہ

And it is clear that the most correct elucidation regarding water is that which has been adopted by al-Qadi (may Allah have mercy on him). [1/329]

In Nur al-Idah, see the fifty-seven things which invalidate the fast but do not require expiation. One of them is to put water in the ear:

اقطرفی اذنہ دھنااوماء فی الاصح

If oil or water is poured into the ear, (the fast will then be invalidated) in the correct position.

[213: باب مایفسدالصوم من غیرکفارۃ]

It is stated in Majma’ al-Anhur Sharh Multaqa al-Abhur:

فی الخانیۃ وان صب الما ء فی ا ذنہ اختلفوا فیہ والصحِیح ہو الفساد

It is in al-Khaniyyah that if you put water in your ear, then there is a difference of opinion and the correct view is that it is invalidated. [1/361]

It is stated in Sharh Fath al-Qadir:

ویظہر ان الاصح فی الما التفصیل الذی اختارہ القاضی رحمہ اللہ

And it is clear that the most correct elucidation regarding water is that which has been adopted by al-Qadi (may Allah have mercy on him). [2/347]

It is stated in Hashiya al-Tahtawi ‘ala Miraqi al-Falah:

الحاصل نہ لا خلاف فی ا فطارہ باقطار الدہن واما الماء فاختار فی الہدایۃ وشروحہا والولوالجی عدم الافطار مطلقا دخل بنفسہ او ادخلہ وفصل قاضیخان بین الادخال قصدا فافسد بہ الصوم والدخول فلم یفسد

The fact is that there is no breaking of the fast in putting oil in the ear. However, in the case of water, al-Hidayah and its elucidation and in al-Lawlaw al-Jiyya, the invalidation of fast has been adopted, whether it goes by itself or by pouring. And Qadi Khan has explained in deliberately pouring water that it will invalidate the fast and in self-entry that it will not invalidate the fast.

[کتاب الصوم باب مایفسدالصوم ویوجب القضاء: 672]

It is stated in Hashiya al-Tahtawi ‘ala al-Durr:

وفی الخانیۃ التفصیل بین الدخول والادخال فصح الفسادفی الثانی ورجہہ الکمال فتحصل ان الفسادبادخال الماء بفعلہ قولین مصححین فالاحوط تجنبہ نھارا

And al-Khaniyyah differentiates between the water entering itself and pouring it. So in the latter, the invalidation is correct, which is what al-Kamal has preferred. So the conclusion is that invalidation is in pouring water by yourself. Both the views are correct. The most precaution is to avoid it (entering the water in the ear) during the day.

[1/450: باب مایفسدالصوم]

It is stated in Fatawa Shami:

فصل فی الخانیۃ بانہ ان دخل لایفسدوان ادخلہ یفسدفی الصحیح لانہ وصل الی الجوف بفعلہ فلایعتبرفیہ صلاح البدن ومثلہ فی البزازیۃ واستظہرہ فی الفتح والبرہان شرنبلالیۃ ملخصاً‘‘والحاصل الاتفاق علی الفطربصب الدھن وعلی عدمہ بدخول الماء واختلف التصحیح فی ادخالہ

Al-Khaniyyah explains that if water enters the ear, the fast will not be invalidated, and if it is poured into the ear, it will be invalidated in the correct position, because it has reached the stomach through its action, so the goodness of the body should not be considered. The same is true in al-Bazariyyah and the same is shown in al-Fath, al-Burhan and al-Shurunbulaliyyah. And the conclusion is that it is agreed that putting oil in the ear invalidates the fast and water self-entering does not invalidate the fast. And there is a difference of opinion as to whether pouring water in the ear invalidates the fast.

[3/367: باب مایفسدالصوم]

It is stated in Nahr al-Fala’iq:

ذکرقاضی خان انہ لودخل بجوفہ الماء یفسدولوصبہ اختلفواوالصحیح انہ یفسدوھوالموافق لاطلاق الکتاب

Qadi Khan mentioned that if water enters the stomach, the fast will be invalidated. And if water enters (the ear) then there is a difference of opinion and the correct position is that the fast will be invalidated. And this is congruous in reference to the book.

[2/21: باب مایفسدالصوم]

Durar al-Hukam Sharh Ghurar al-Ahkam states in reference to Qadi Khan:

وقال قاضی خان لو خاض نہرا فدخل الما ء اذنہ لا یفسد صومہ، ون صب الماء فی ا ذنہ اختلفوا فیہ والصحیح ہو الفساد؛ لانہ وصل الی الجوف بفعلہ فلا یعتبر فیہ صلاح البدن ، قال الکمال ویظہر ان الاصح فی الما التفصیل الذی اختارہ القاضی – رحمہ اللّٰہ

And Qazi Khan said that if one dives into the water and the water enters the ears, the fast will then not be invalidated. And if water is poured into the ear itself, then there is a difference of opinion about this. The correct position is that the fast will be invalidated because in that case, the water has reached the stomach through its action. Therefore, it will not be relied upon to rectification the body. And al-Kamal said: And it is clear that the correct position is the elucidation which has been adopted by al-Qadi (Allah have mercy upon him).

[دررالحکام شرح غررالاحکام: 1/202]

It is stated in al-Nutaf fi’l-Fatawa:

واما من الاذن فاالتقطیرفیہ من الادویۃ ودخول الماء فیہ وھوذاکرلصومہ فان فی قول الفقہاء یفسدمنھماالصوم وفی قول عبداللّٰہ لایفسد

Putting medicine in the ear and pouring water in the ear, knowingly that you are fasting, according to the jurists, both of them invalidate the fast. And according to Shaykh Abdullah, fasting is not invalidated.

[النتف فی الفتاوی للسغدی: 101]

Huzoor Alahazrat states in Fatawa Ridawiyyah:

The clear proof is: Intentionally pouring water in the ear is as per soundest of all statements an invalidation of the fast. But the same noble Imams who authenticate the invalidation in the case of intentional entering, state that if water goes into the ear while bathing or diving into the water, then they explain that the fast does not break. The imams did not believe that the reason for water entering was to take a bath or dive, and if he did this intentionally, it was as if he had deliberately delivered water to the ear. The reason is that these actions are probably not due to water entering, although they do occur, but its purpose cannot be their purpose. It is stated in Khaniyyah:

لوخاض الماء فدخل الما فی اذنہ لایفسد صومہ وان صب الما فی اذنہ اختلفوا فیہ والصحیح ھو الفساد لانہ وصل الی الجوف بفعلہ فلا یعتبر فیہ صلاح البدن۔

If one dives into the water and the water enters the ears, the fast will not be invalidated, and if one puts water in the ear itself, there is a difference of opinion about this. The correct position is that the fast will be invalidated because in this case, the water has reached the stomach through its action, so it will not be considered upon the improvement of the body.

It is stated in Fatawa Imam Bazari:

خاض الما فدخل اذنہ لایفسد بخلاف دخول الدھن وان صب الما فی اذنہ افسدہ فی الصحیح لوجود الفعل لایعتبر فیہ صلاح البدن۔

The fasting person dives into the water, if water enters his ear, then the fast will not be invalidated, unlike entering oil, and if water is poured into the ear, it will then invalidate the fast according to the correct view. Because it is caused by his own actions, in this case, the improvement of the body will not be considered.

It is stated in Jawahir al-Akhlati:

لو اغتسل اوخاض فی الما فدخل الما اذنہ لا یفسد صومہ بلاخلاف ولو ادخل الما فی اذنہ ففیہ الاختلاف والاصح ھو الفساد دلوصولہ الی الراس و وصول مالافیہ صلاح البدن غیرمعتبر کمالوادخل خشب فی دبرہ وغیبھا۔

If one takes a bath or dives into the water, then the water enters the ear, the fast will not be invalidated according to the majority. And if he poured water in the ear, then there is a difference of opinion. The correct view is that the fast will be invalidated, because it reaches the brain, and reaching the brain with something that does not improve the body is unreliable. Just as if someone put wood in their buttocks and it disappeared.

It is stated in Fath al-Qadir:

الفساد اذادخل الما ذنہ لااذا دخل بغیرصنعہ کما اذا خاض نھرا۔

The invalidation of the fast is when one enters water in one’s own ear, and does not invalidate it by entering water without one’s own action, just as one dives into a canal.

[Fatawa al-Ridawiyyah Jadid: 1/498-499]

Conclusion: In the above texts, the difference of opinion regarding the insertion of water in the ear has been made clear. Some jurists have stated this difference by not resolving upon one another. Some jurists have preferred no invalidation. Some have considered the elucidation of Imam Qadi Khan to be correct, that is, they have declared the no invalidation of entering the water and the invalidation of pouring it to be correct. Some jurists, while declaring both the statements to be correct, have ordered to be very careful not to enter the water, as if they have shown inclination towards the correctness of Qadi Khan’s statement. And Alahazrat (Allah have mercy upon him) has also declared the invalidation of fasting to be correct in this matter. It is as if Qadi Khan’s statement has been preferred.

And the tendency of this poor one [i.e., author] is also in this direction as Imam Qadi Khan Sahib is prioritised. His research takes precedence over the research of others. Also, this matter is an important obligation [fard] in which every possible effort of precaution is necessary. Due to the new investigation of some infidels and transgressors in any religious issue, it will not be permissible to deviate from the texts of the jurists. Until the majority of the present-day scholars do not accept modern research and come to a unanimous decision on any issue, then the precautionary position will not be annulled against such necessary issues, otherwise, the nation will fall into disarray and commit slander against the scholars. Every scholar has the right to research, but the public publication of the research is not appropriate unless it is recognised by a majority of noble jurists. Revealing any research without the acceptance of scholars and jurists proofs to be very harmful to the religion. This is what I have and knowledge is with Allah Almighty.